How deliveries cost us dear

WE waste three working days a year waiting for deliveries and tradesmen, it was revealed yesterday.

Many give up a day's pay or holiday to meet delivery drivers or the gasman at home, increasing their frustration when appointments are not kept.

Home deliveries have soared thanks to the huge rise in internet shopping. But the consumer group Which? says many customers are being let down.

It claims appointments and delivery times are too often set to suit compatualnies. Customers have to put up with vague time-slots during their working day, rather than precise appointments in the evening or at weekends.

The group reveals Britons waste 268m hours a year - or 33.5m working days. Neil Fowler, editor of Which? magazine, said yesterday: 'In an era when the Internet has sparked a huge increase in the number of home deliveries, the gap between what consumers want and what companies deliver appears wider than ever.

'It is time retailers and workmen raised their game to meet the needs of consumers in the 21st century.'

According to Which?, gas and electricity suppliers have the least punc-tradesmen, keeping customers hanging around for an average of 4.6 hours over a year.

Builders are almost as bad, with average delays of 4.3 hours. But Which? claims because reliable ones are so scarce they can take a relaxed attitude to time-keeping, knowing they are unlikely to lose customers.

Plumbers come next, keeping clients waiting for an average 3.5 hours a year. Satellite and cable TV workers and telephone engineers are also a let-down, making people wait for 3.3 hours a year.

Almost half of deliveries from retailers monitored by Which? could only offer a broad arrival slot of five hours. Just six per cent promised an exact arrival time.

Which? says too few deliveries are made before 8am or after 5pm, even though 50% of homes are empty between 9am and 4pm.

Its survey shows supermarkets are the best at achieving delivery times, with all the major chains attempting a two-hour delivery window. By contrast, the computer manufacturer Dell had the longest delivery times, with an average of six hours.

Mail order catalogue companies performed badly too, keeping customers waiting for up to five hours.

Argos was the second slowest with an average wait of just over four and a half hours. Firms that delivered more promptly included Amazon and John Lewis, with an average of just 2.8 hours, and Next, whose 1.6 hour delay was the shortest.

Mr Fowler said: 'Supermarkets have shown that they can consistently achieve far higher delivery standards. We'd like to see firms offering narrower delivery or appointment time slots.
If supermarkets can do it, we see no reason why other retailers can't.'